Material application systems may be broadly categorized as liquid or powder spraying systems. Liquid spraying systems may include, though not limited to, paint, adhesives, conformal coatings, lacquers, powder slurries and so forth. Powder spraying systems may include powder paint coatings and other non-paint materials in powder form such as lubricants (for example, powdered graphite) and food additives such as flavorings and coatings for example; and powdered superabsorbants such as may be applied to diapers.
Spray application systems can be rather complex systems in terms of various control and safety functions. Such systems include an array of one or more spray guns or spraying devices, pumps, material feed centers and overspray recovery systems. Some spray application systems include electrostatic spraying devices and most use pneumatic pressure as part of the application process. Many parameters may be monitored and adjusted including electrostatic voltage and current, air pressure, material pressure, flow rates, spray gun position, pump flow rates and so forth. Also, parts may be sprayed in a stationary condition within a spray booth or while moving through a spray booth via a conveyor system. Thus, an application system may include a number of sensors for position and speed control of the conveyor system, as well as sensors associated with triggering control of the spraying devices.
Spray application systems are generally designed to maximize throughput while minimizing the amount of sprayed material, particularly to minimize the amount of overspray since overspray material does not adhere to the part being sprayed. Various spray patterns are available based on the type of spray nozzle selected as well as the type of application system used. Accordingly, when a customer or end user is deciding what type of system to install at a site, there may be a large number of available options in equipment, just as there are many different types of parts to be sprayed and materials to be applied to such parts.
Heretofore, the process of configuring, installing and monitoring/maintaining spraying application systems has been accomplished by time consuming and personnel intensive processes. For example, a customer or purchaser might first visit the manufacturer's site to observe the different spraying systems available and witness various spraying demonstrations. A system is then recommended based on the needs of the customer. The system may be built at the manufacturing plant first, test run in order to set optimal parameters, and then shipped to the customer's plant. The system is then installed and operated locally. If problems occur, typically a field service representative is then called out to the customer's site for troubleshooting and repair. Historical records of system performance and data histories, however, are typically site or customer specific, other than the possible feedback by the service representative to the manufacturing site. As to safety issues, fire detection systems are commonly used with electrostatic application systems. Such detection systems have self-diagnostics but still must be monitored routinely for proper operation.
The general and greatly simplified process described above is very time and labor intensive. Moreover, the process of detecting and/or predicting the need for repair and maintenance efforts often results in system downtime for the customer, which increases production time and cost.
The Internet and other information communication systems have greatly facilitated the ability of customers, for example, to study manufacturer's product and system offerings from the remote customer site. Catalog databases and online purchasing/ordering systems allow a customer to order parts directly from a desktop personal computer. Such catalog ordering systems have been commonly applied in many different product fields from the sales of books to purchasing cars and so forth. However, such known systems do not adequately address the problems associated with complex manufacturing systems, particularly spray application systems. Many times a customer may have minimal support personnel at their site for monitoring system performance. Online purchasing of parts from a catalog alone is inadequate for ordering complex spraying systems due to the wide variation in system configurations as well as the need to configure a system with compatible subsystems and components. Known Internet and Web based systems also do not facilitate repair and maintenance activities.
It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods for facilitating the configuring, installation and monitoring of spraying application systems by the use of a data and information exchange system that links a customer with the manufacturing site. Such a system will preferably facilitate real time and historical monitoring functions and system configuration functions.